Zechariah 8:1-23

     In Zechariah chapter eight, God reveals He’s in control of current and future blessings, and He calls His people to walk in truth and righteousness. In the opening verses, God reveals He is “the LORD of hosts” which emphasizes His sovereignty over all; especially His people, whom He is jealous for (Zec 8:1-2). God reveals His plans for Israel by promising that the old and young will dwell safely in Jerusalem and will play in the streets (Zec 8:4-6). In addition, He will call His people from the nations of the world to dwell there (Zec 8:7-8), declaring, “I will be their God in truth and righteousness” (Zec 8:8b). The Lord spoke to the returnees in Zechariah’s day, saying, “Let your hands be strong, you who are listening in these days to these words from the mouth of the prophets, those who spoke in the day that the foundation of the house of the LORD of hosts was laid, to the end that the temple might be built” (Zec 8:9). He tells them to ponder the days of recent past, when they were experiencing economic and social unrest (Zec 8:10), when, because of their sin, God “set all men one against another” (Zec 8:10b). But now, because of their obedience, He would change their situation, saying, “For there will be peace for the seed: the vine will yield its fruit, the land will yield its produce and the heavens will give their dew; and I will cause the remnant of this people to inherit all these things” (Zec 8:12). Just as Israel had become a curse to the nations, because of their sin, now God would make them a blessing, because of their obedience (Zec 8:13-15). But He had expectations of them; specifically, “‘speak the truth to one another; judge with truth and judgment for peace in your gates. Also let none of you devise evil in your heart against another, and do not love perjury; for all these are what I hate,’ declares the LORD” (Zec 8:16-17). God answered the question that was posed concerning the fasts (Zec 8:18-19a; cf. 7:3), saying, they will be changed to “joy, gladness, and cheerful feasts for the house of Judah” (Zec 8:19). Again, this would come as the people learned to “love truth and peace” (Zec 8:19b). Finally, God encourages His people with more promises of future blessings, for many Gentiles (Zec 8:20) will see God’s blessings in Jerusalem and will say, “Let us go at once to entreat the favor of the LORD, and to seek the LORD of hosts” (Zec 8:21). Because of God’s blessing, Jerusalem will be viewed favorably, and “many peoples and mighty nations will come to seek the LORD of hosts in Jerusalem and to entreat the favor of the LORD” (Zec 8:22). The blessing will be tied to the Jews themselves, for “in those days ten men from all the nations will grasp the garment of a Jew, saying, ‘Let us go with you, for we have heard that God is with you’” (Zec 8:23). This message would have encouraged the Jews of Zechariah’s day, knowing God was with them as they pursued truth and righteousness.